Edward m



(No Model.)

E. M. BENTLEY.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC GUT-OUT.

No. 427,724. Patented May 13, 1890.

N g Ll W ITNE'55E5 INVENTUR is interrupted.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDlVARD M. BENTLEY,

OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC CUT-OUT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 427,724, dated May 13,1890.

Application filed March 16, 1888.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD M. BENTLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York, State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Out-Outs forElectric Circuits, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an automatic cutout for electric circuits, whichis adapted to respond to an abnormal increase of current upon a line,and thereby act as a safety device against a dangerous excess ofcurrent. The device is further provided with a retarded restoringapparatus, by means of which the apparatus, having acted, isautomatically restored to its normal condition after a predeterminedinterval. It is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigures 1 and 2 represent the apparatus in its open and closedconditions, respectively.

In the drawings, A represents the baseboard to which the apparatus isattached.

1% is an electro-magnet included in a circuit to be protected and havingits armature so adjusted that it will be attracted only when apredetermined current shall pass through the magnet. The adjustment issuch that only a dangerous excess of current will cause the magnet toattract its armature.

D is an armature having an adjustable retractile spring E.

O is a contact-lever pivoted at G and normally resting against thespring contact point K.

L is a supl'ilementary contact-spring adapted to form a good connection,while the point K is adapted to follow up lever C and receive any arewhich may occur when the connection The main circuit, entering at M,passes through magnet 13, thence through the contact into lever C, andpasses out at N.

Armature D projects between two jaws on the lower end of lever C. It isalso provided with a dash-pot F, which permits a free movement of thearmature toward the magnet, but retards its withdrawal for a definitetime.

In operation the apparatus is normally set, as is shown in Fig. 1, thecircuit being closed. Upon an excess of current passing through 1 SerialNo. 267,296. (No model.)

armature D is attracted. In moving upward D strikes the upper jaw upon0, throwing the lever into avertical position. The momentum of (Jcarries it beyond the point of dead-center, when by the action ofgravity it falls over into the position shown in Fig. 2. The maincircuit is of course interrupted when G breaks contact with K, and anyare which may be formed will be broken by the long distance which 0traverses after it passes the center and falls by its own weight. Thecircuit remains broken until the action of spring E against the dash-potF. Armature D, coming against the lower jaw on G, restores O to itsnormal position. The time during which the circuit is interrupted can beregulated at will, and it during this time the conditions which causethe abnormal flow of current in B are removed the circuit will remainclosed in its normal manner. If, however, these conditions have not beenremoved, the apparatus will again act, and will continue to do so untilthe difficulty is removed.

- I claim as myinvention and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. Inan automatic cut-out, the combination of a contact for making andbreaking the main circuit to be protected, an actuating electromagnettherefor responding to the presence of an abnormal current in said maincircuit, and a retarded restoring device for said contact, whereby thecircuit will be automatically restored to its normal. condition after apredetermined interval.

2. In an automatic cut-out, the combination, with an actuatingelectro-magnet included in the main circuit to be protected, of acontact operated thereby upon the presence of an abnormal current, and aretarded restoring device for said contact, whereby the circuit will beautomatically restored to its normal condition after a predeterminedinterval.

In an automatic cut-out, the combination of an actuating electro-magnet,an armature, and a spring holding the armature away from the magnet,except upon the presence of an abnormal eurrent, with a moving contactoperated by the armature to make and break the main circuit to beprotected, and a retarded restoring device, substantially as described,whereby the circuit will be automatically restored to its normalcondition after a prede- 5. In an automatic cut-out device, thecomtermined interval. bination, with magnet 13, of lever C, having a 4:.I11 an automatic cut-out, the combination contact on its longer arm, andarmature D, of a magnet adapted to respond to an abnorengaging with jawson the shorter arm of C I5 5 mal current, a pivoted contact-lever, andan and provided with a retarded restoring dearmatnre for saidelectromagnet adapted to vice, substantially as described. throw thesaid lever beyond a point of deadeenter, and a retarded restoring devicefor EDlVARD M. BENTLEY. said lever, whereby the circuit will be anto-YVitnesscs:

IO matically restored to its normal condition ROBT. XV. BLACKWELL,

after apredetermined interval. E. S. MCKINNEY.

